The development of this guide was initiated and directed by Nina S. Rees, deputy
under secretary of the Office of Innovation and Improvement at the U.S. Department
of Education. Sharon Horn was the project manager.

This guide was written and designed by WestEd. The project is conducted in
partnership with Edvance.

WestEd is a nonprofit research , development, and service agency committed
to improving learning at all stages of life, both in school and out. WestEd has
offices across the United States and also serves as one of the nation’s
10 regional educational laboratories.

Edvance, a nonprofit organization created by the American Productivity and
Quality Center, is a resource for process and performance improvement with a focus
on benchmarking, knowledge management, performance measurement, and quality improvement
initiatives in education.

The eight schools cooperating in the development of this guide and the report
from which it is drawn were generous with both their time and attention to this
project. We would like to thank the staff who were instrumental in coordinating
and participating in the site visits that inform the report and this guide.